Global trademark registration touches 1-mn mark

The international trademark registration touched the 1-million mark this month, more than a century after the first trademark was registered by a Swiss chocolate maker.

The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), the UN body which registers trademark, said the growing number of registrations reflects an increasing awareness among the general public and the business community.

"Trademarks and the branding efforts help consumers make informed choices about the products they buy," WIPO Director General Francis Gurry said in a statement today.

The trademarks are registered at the WIPO under its Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks.

"They (trademarks) are extremely valuable commercial assets. WIPO’s international trademark registration system is a cost-effective, user-friendly and streamlined means by which businesses operating internationally can protect and manage their trademark portfolio," Gurry further said.

Madrid System offers a trademark owner the possibility to have his trademark protected in several countries by simply filing one application directly with his own national or regional trademark office.

"The increasingly rapid growth of the Madrid system over the last two decades reflects increased internationalization of trade and broader recognition of the commercial importance of trademarks," WIPO said.

The first international trademark was registered in 1893 by a Swiss chocolate-maker Russ-Suchard & Company. Austria-based Grune Erde, which specialises in natural wood, textile and cosmetic products, became the millionth international trademark owner this month.